Novicius Aetas
by Ysmir the Indestructible
Summary: The title is New Life, and that is precisely what it is a story of. When two peple love each other so very much as these, what else could possibly come of it? Read it and tell what you think. R&EF, I'm back bro.
1. Part I

Oberon is back. For anyone that wants to know what that means, visit my profile. Otherwise, enjoy the words below.

* * *

Eureka seveN

Novicius Aetas

By:

Oberon the Dark

Part I

Prologue

Sunrise Beach

The gentle breeze of the beach lazily blew by, spreading the sweet scent of ocean spray. The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon creating an awe-inspiring array of colors. The scenery was wonderfully peaceful. Gentle waves crashing on the shore, sea breeze wafting on the air, and a breath-stealing sunrise.

It was the perfect retreat for the young couple that managed to get themselves stranded there. The two lovers that only just recently prevented the destruction of mankind at the hands of a madman. The perfect place for them to unite, as they had only three months ago.

They lay together in the soft light of the newly risen sun. Eureka under Renton's arm, lightly whispering to a nearly lost dream. Her prayers had finally been answered only a little while ago. The prayers for whatever power be to let her express her feelings for Renton. She thought she couldn't before, when she lay mostly unconscious and trapped in the sphere of the corallian-event. Her faith had almost died, until she heard his voice pierce through the void-like realm into which her consciousness had fallen.

Her dreams would forever be graced by the sensation of the first kiss which she shared with Renton in the event-sphere.

Renton lay with his left arm affectionately wrapped around Eureka. Dreams flooded his lightly slumbering mind. Dreams of his new life, the one which he would share with his love. His mind feverishly remembered the none-too-distant act of union which he committed with Eureka. A family was likely to come of this, that much he knew. What he anticipated was the togetherness of an entire family with his dear Eureka.

Though he had little knowledge of marital law, he intended to be wed with her whenever the chance presented itself. She was the one, and now he was with her forever…

Chapter I

Search Over,

The Boy And Girl Are Found

"Holland, we've got a signal!" Gidjet yelled to the leader.

"Isolate the frequency of trappar reflection. I want you to be sure it's them." he replied sternly.

"The frequency of the reflection signal matches that of known corallian and human patterns." Woz chimed into the conversation.

Upon hearing those words, everyone aboard the Moonlight dawned a smile across their faces.

"Then it's them?" Holland questioned.

"Yep! I'm sure of it!" Gidjet replied excitedly.

"Take us down!" Holland ordered.

So, the signal of descent was activated as the craft began its landing.

-----

Eureka stirred slightly under Renton's arm as a sickening feeling set into her stomach. The feeling that brought her dreaming mind into consciousness was only slightly familiar. It was one she had never understood, as it had only appeared twice before. The first was when she was born from the scub, the second was when she had first piloted Nirvash.

She groggily opened her eyes so she could navigate her way behind a bush. Once she managed to do such she fell to her knees and sat, waiting for the feeling to either do its work or pass by. It got more intense leaving a burning feeling in her stomach. Not the pleasant kind like Renton left, but a frightfully painful one that seemed like she had swallowed acid.

Eureka gently clutched at her stomach as though it would burst if she didn't. She could feel the food passing back out of her as she wretched the contents of her stomach onto the sand. The harshness of it stunned her, being that it was much more intense than when it occurred on the previous occasions.

Eureka sat there, trying to recover from the intense pain of her ordeal. The sick feeling left her after the contents of her stomach were gone. She was startled by Renton as he came to check on her.

"Eureka, are you alright?" he asked with a worried look on his face.

"I- I think so. Just a little bit nauseous…" she replied.

Renton helped her onto her feet and took her to get some water. Their supply of fresh water was almost out, but they still had enough for roughly two days. She gratefully rinsed her mouth out, welcoming the refreshing taste of spring water.

"Hey, Eureka…"

"Yes?"

"Well… Do you think the Gekko-State is looking for us?" Renton asked her.

"I really don't know. They probably have other things to deal with…" she said.

"Yeah. The Izumo is probably on their asses again. We might should think about how we're gonna get home, right?"

"Yeah…" Eureka replied sleepily.

Sitting on the beach, enjoying each others company and watching the ocean, Eureka laid her head on her lover's shoulder. Renton gently put his arm around her and sat his head lightly on hers. The scene was like that of Romeo and Juliet, the perfect couple in the perfect place.

Their cuddle was interrupted when they began to notice the sound of military-grade jet-engines. They both looked up in unison to behold the beautiful streams of trappar waves trailing behind the Moonlight. Apparently their question of how to get home was answered for them.

"Renton," Eureka said, "looks like our answer is here."

"Yeah, I guess it is, huh?" He replied with a grin on his face.

So they sat there, waiting until the Moonlight landed and they could go home.

Chapter II

Welcome Home

The Moonlight was making its way ever closer to the ground, the crew preparing to welcome the heroes home at last. Holland and Talho were standing at the bridge, looking out at the peaceful scenery of the beach they were approaching. Holland had his arm wrapped around Talho's waist, as she stroked her bulging stomach.

"The baby's almost here Holland. Almost here to greet us, and we still don't have a name." she said to Holland.

"Name? What exactly did you have in mind for him?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Jonas." Talho replied bluntly.

"Well," Holland said laughing a little, "you always were good with names. Jonas it is."

"Well, now that that's settled we should think about how to welcome our heroes home…"

Finally, the Moonlight had reached proper altitude to land. The craft bumped around a little as it landed in a fairly clear part of the jungle surrounding the beach.

-----

"Eureka, it finally landed." Renton said as he lightly shook Eureka awake. She had dozed off on his shoulder as they were sitting together.

"It has?" she asked while yawning.

"Yeah. We should probably head toward were it landed."

"Alright, lets go then." she said with a smile.

They got up and walked in the direction it had landed. The jungle was lovely in the mid-day sun. The rays of light shining through created a surreal prism of green colors around them. Before very long, they reached the clearing were the Moonlight had landed. Already Holland and Mathieu were leaving the craft to search for them. Mathieu was the first to spot them.

"Hey Holland, look who's here!" Mathieu yelled excitedly.

"Well, if it isn't our heroic duo! Come on you two, we were just about to go looking for ya." Holland told them with a grin on his face.

Once they boarded the Moonlight they were greeted with the warm and smiling faces of its crew. Linc, Maeter and Maurice all ran up to Eureka and hugged her yelling "Mama!". Renton wasn't forgotten by them, as they ran over to him next yelling "Papa!".

"I hate to break up the reunion," Mischa chimed in, "but I need to take Eureka into the infirmary for some diagnostics and a physical."

She took Eureka to the Moonlight's infirmary and proceeded to hook her up to pulmonary monitors and brain-wave analyzers.

"Alright, let me see your arm. I need to take a blood sample." Mischa told her.

Eureka stretched out her arm so Mischa could draw the blood.

"Very good." Mischa told her, "Nothing seems to be irregular in your blood pressure or the patterns of your brain-waves. The only thing strange here is the sequence of your DNA chain. It seems that the extra link present in corallians is missing."

"Uh… What exactly does that mean?" Eureka asked, puzzled by the data Mischa had recited to her.

"It means you're not a corallian anymore. Or at least, not completely…" Mischa said with a puzzled frown on her face.

"How can that be?" Eureka asked.

"I'm as confused as your are dear, but I'll be looking into it."

"Okay."

"By the way," Mischa began, "have you felt strange lately? Like any abnormalities or such?"

"Well, I was kinda sick to my stomach this morning. Just a little nauseous really…" Eureka replied.

"Interesting… I'll need a urine sample from you, in that case." Mischa said and handed Eureka a specimen cup to use. "Alright, I'll tell you the results of the test in the morning."

"Thank you Mischa." Eureka said as she bowed and walked out the door.

-----

Renton was in the dining area with the rest of the crew, recounting his tale of how he had brought Eureka out of the Command-Cluster. Eureka walked into the room with a tired look on her face. She sat down beside Renton as Talho served the evening meal.

Eureka and Renton only ate between the questions they were bombarded with. Everyone wanted to know Eureka's side of the story as to what happened inside the Command-Cluster.

Once they finished the meal, they both went to their separate rooms to rest for the night. Eureka got to her room, only to notice the empty feeling of Renton not being there. She tried to sleep, but the bed felt cold and void, so she decided to head to Renton's room.

He had only just fallen into light sleep when the door slid open.

"Eureka?…" he asked sleepily, "Is something wrong?"

"I wondered if I could bed with you. My room seems rather… empty really." She said with a slight blush on her face.

"Er… sure." Renton replied, blushing as well. "Hey…"

"Hm?"

"What do you think we should tell everybody? You know, about… us?" Renton stammered.

"I really don't know…" Eureka said. She looked a little worried at what he had mentioned, so Renton put his arm around her to comfort her.

"Don't worry about it. We'll cross that bridge when we get there." He told her with a smile on his face. She looked back at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"What bridge?"

"It's just an old saying, forget about it. Now, let's get some rest."

Eureka did something that caught Renton off guard a little. As she laid down beside him, she locked her lips against his in a kiss. His cheeks lit up red with the heat of a blush. He, of course, feverishly returned the kiss. Their kiss finally broke and they slept.

Chapter III

What Did You Say?!

Finally, daybreak came. Mischa had spent the night processing the urine sample from Eureka, and was bewildered by the results. She only sat there, checking and rechecking the data on the sheet of paper.

"Jeez," Mischa sighed, "I didn't think you two would be so forward…" She whispered as she trailed off into a laughing fit. Once she had gotten her senses back, she got up from her desk to get Eureka. Upon arriving at Eureka's room she was none-too-surprised that she wasn't there. She simply turned around and walked down the hall, towards Renton's room.

Just as she figured, Eureka was asleep in Renton's room. She gently tapped Eureka's shoulder to wake her up. Eureka woke up easily enough and went back to the infirmary with Mischa.

"Eureka," Mischa began with a serious look on her face, "I have something important to tell you…"

-----

Renton was still in his room, asleep, by mid-day. He was happily dreaming about his new life with Eureka. In his dream they were walking down an aisle of friends and family. He was wearing a deep black tuxedo and Eureka was in the most vibrant violet dress one had ever seen. Just as they met at the end of the procession, a familiar voice woke him…

"Shrimp! Wake up lazy!" It was Talho trying to wake him for the news. He didn't respond to her calls, so she landed a soft kick in his gut. It woke him as expected.

"Argh! Wha- what was that for?…" He whined to her.

"Mischa has some news for you, so get up!"

Renton sat up, yawning away the last of his dream. Talho walked out of his room to let him get a change of clothes on. Once he had dressed, Renton ran down the hall towards the infirmary. He arrived to be greeted by Eureka's smiling visage.

"Renton!" she yelled excitedly, "Mischa just told me something wonderful!"

"Uh… what is it?" he asked puzzled.

"Mischa said I'm pregnant! She says I have a child growing inside me!"

Renton didn't grasp her statement immediately, so he stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face. Mischa spoke up to clarify things to him.

"Indeed she is Renton. I don't know what you two 'did' out there, but Eureka has conceived. The match is positive to your DNA. You're going to be a father soon."

Renton was still lightheaded from being awoken so abruptly, so the news shocked him into fainting. He simply keeled over onto the floor, a sleepy smile on his face.

-----

"_Renton… Renton… Wake up Renton…"_

A wavy voice called out to the boy in his sleep. The voice was one he meant to answer, but couldn't because he was sleeping. The thought to answer the voice kept being unconsciously pushed away. It wasn't until he felt the voice's lips on his that Renton awoke.

"Ah!" Renton sat up with a yell after Eureka's wakeup call, "E- Eureka? Wha- What happened… Ow! Damn, what happened to my head. It hurts really bad…"

"You fainted from shock at the news, Renton." Mischa said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"News…?" Renton said, still rubbing the back of his head.

"Hmm… you've been out-cold for about an hour. The fall probably knocked it right out of your head…" Mischa told him.

"Knocked what out of my head? Did I forget something I was supposed to do?" He asked, still puzzled to what was going on.

"Eureka is pregnant with your child." Mischa said bluntly.

"She's… pregnant?…" Renton mused, "Well, I could see how I guess…"

"Just make sure you take responsibility towards your's and her future. It takes two to make, so to two the responsibility falls." Mischa told him, reciting almost exactly what his sex-ed book had written in it.

"I know what you mean ma'am. Could I speak to you in private about something though?" Renton questioned, beginning to blush at the plan he was making.

"Uh… sure. Eureka, could you step out of the room for a moment?"

"Sure." Eureka said, and walked out of the room.

"Now then, what was it you wanted to ask Renton?"

"Well, I was wondering about- I mean, if I can carry my… relationship with Eureka- if we could…" Renton tried to ask his question but only stammered the beginnings of about three different sentences.

"Spit it out Renton. I'm gonna be busy here shortly." mischa said, growing impatient with his stammering.

"Ugh… I want to know if I can… if I can marry Eureka!?" Renton blurted out.

"Well, I knew this would probably come up." Mischa mused, getting her typical tone of wisdom about her, "What I want to know is: Do you truly plan to stay beside her? Forever?"

"Of course!" Renton half screamed in reply.

"Well, the only thing I see in your way is the lack of a ring…"

"Umm… I do have this. It's a ring my father left for me. It was in an envelope that read: 'for the one'. does it look good?" Renton asked as he handed Mischa a bright silver ring inlaid with two beautiful stones. One stone was a light blue sapphire, the other was a deep violet amethyst. Both were as clear as spring water and shined beautifully in the light.

"Renton, this ring is amazing! Where in the name of Christmas did your father get it?" Mischa asked with an intrigued look on her face.

"I think it was a gift to my mom at some point." He replied.

"This will do just fine as a proposal gift." Mischa told him, "Wow, I'm kinda envious of Eureka now for such a wonderful ring."

"Thanks." Renton bowed and left the room.

"Well, that makes two more mouths to feed." Mischa mused, "I better get started on balancing the budget…"

Chapter IV

Will You…?

Renton could hardly contain his excitement to ask her the question. It made his heart try to crawl up his throat thinking about how he would ask, but the determination was there. He grasped the ring of his father's with nervous hands, hoping he wouldn't have to ask her in front of others. As he was walking down the hall, his mind occupied with day-dreams, he accidentally bumped into Gidjet.

"Hey, watch were you're going!" she told him.

"Sorry Gidjet. Hey, you know where Eureka is?"

"Yeah, she's eating breakfast with everyone else in the dining room."

"Thanks." Renton said.

"By the way," Gidjet began, "congrats on the news!"

Renton only blushed as Gidjet walked away. He couldn't believe that the news of Eureka's pregnancy had already gotten out. He knew it wouldn't have been her that told, but more likely Stoner and Mathieu had heard it being discussed in the clinic. Still, he had a question he needed to ask. He planned to do such, even if it was in front of the whole crew of the Moonlight.

He turned down the hallway and headed for the dining room, his heart racing like it was going to burst.

"_It's finally here Renton." _he thought to himself, _"The moment you've been waiting for since you met her. It's here, don't let it slip."_

So he took one more deep breath before stepping into the scan area and opening the door to the dining room. Just like Gidjet had said, everyone except for her was there. All eyes were on him once the door had opened. He looked around the room, giving his nerves a moment to calm, then walked over to Eureka and knelt in front of her.

"Renton, is something wrong?" she asked him in the meek voice he adored.

"Eureka," he began, "there's something I need to ask you…"

He could feel the eyes of everyone looking at him, and for a moment he lost his nerve. For only a moment, he wasn't sure that he could ask her. It was the look of her beautiful violet eyes that reminded him why he wanted to ask. His confidence was restored by her compassionate eyes.

"Eureka… Will you…" he began again, yet didn't finish.

"Will I what?" she asked.

"Will you marry me?" he finally managed the words. After asking, he offered her the ring, and nearly passed out with anticipation of her answer.

Eureka's face lit up with joy as soon as Renton's words had left his mouth. It obviously didn't matter to her if everyone saw, seeing as how she threw her arms around him. The only reason she knew what it meant was her talk with Talho before entering the Great Wall.

"Oh Renton! Yes, I would be happy to!" she yelled to him, then firmly planted her lips against his. He forgot all about the others in the room and wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss. Holland was the one who broke them out of it.

"Hey you two!" he said sternly, "Feelings aside, shouldn't you get a room?"

They both lit up bright red in the cheeks. The moment had caused them to disregard any fear of embarrassment, making them forget there were others in the room.

"Well," Talho started, trying to break the silence, " I guess we'll need to plan a reception, eh Holland?"

"Aren't they a little too young?" Holland asked.

"Yeah, but I think an exception can be made. Considering what they went through to be with each other, right?"

"I guess, but they'd better be sure this is what they want." Holland said with a wry smile, then winked at Renton.

"Well then," Stoner began with a yawn, "I suppose I should call in a couple of favors, eh leader?"

"You just do that Stoner." said Holland, "What I wanna know is, who should we have to wed them? We don't know any holy ones…"

"What about Miss Tiptory?" Talho suggested, "Maybe she'd be willing to preside over the wedding."

"Then it's settled!" Holland exclaimed triumphantly, "We'll get started on the planning Renton. Meanwhile, you two should think about some things…"

The crew got up from their positions, everyone muttering about what they planned to do for the wedding. They all walked out the door, heading their separate ways, except for Holland and Talho. Holland walked over to Renton and motioned for him to follow. They both walked out the door and headed towards Holland's room. Eureka started to get up to follow, but Talho put her hand on Eureka's shoulder telling her to stay.

"You and I should… discuss some things." Talho told Eureka with a wry smile.

"Hey Renton, are you sure about all this?" Eureka asked him in her meek voice.

"Of course!" he replied "To tell you the truth, I've been wanting to ask you this since I met you. It seemed like a silly dream then but…"

"I'm glad." she said, cutting him off. She softly laid her head against his shoulder and drifted off to sleep. Once more they lay sleeping together, unconsciously counting down the days before the wedding was scheduled to take place.

Only a month lay between them and the date of their ultimate union. They would be one in the eyes of the Almighty, and their love would be known to all. It was what Nirvash had meant for them to do, and what they wanted. Their union would be shouted out to the world.

Add to it that their child would be born around six months after their marriage, and you can see why they'd be so happy. It was only a matter of waiting now. Waiting and anticipating.


	2. Part II

Eureka seveN

Novicius Aetas

Pt. II

By:

Oberon the Dark

Prologue

Such Happiness, Such A Mess

Things were a mess during the days following Renton's proposal. Even though the actual planning was done with inside of two days, the excitement was driving the crew mad. Holland and Talho could not wait to accompany the two down the aisle. Holland, being Renton's only real father-like figure, would be the ring bearer. Talho, being Eureka's mother-like figure, would be the one to walk Eureka down the aisle to Renton.

It was all set. Date figured, guests invited, and location selected. Yet, there would still be a month in between now and the wedding. Another agonizing month of Talho bickering with Holland over her dress, Moondoggie and Gidjet squabbling over personal space and daydreams, and, worst of all, another month of waiting to call Eureka by truth. Renton had to endure another month before he could call Eureka what he'd always wanted to, wife.

Though, in all truth, the wait gave him time to plan out things. Life doesn't just magically form itself into a comfortable arrangement. He had to have a job, a house, and many other things. It was nagging in the back of his mind, being that his grades were too low to really warrant a good job for him. It would be his greatest challenge, more than likely, to find a suitable job to support his new life. Though he knew it might be a crappy one, it would be worth it to enable his life with Eureka.

Every day it came closer, every day the crew got more rambunctious. The routine he remembered from before the Second Summer of Love was gone. Although Talho still liked to pick on him, she no longer yelled at him if he didn't get all his chores done. For this, he was very glad. Every day he'd spend about six hours doing his chores, then the rest of the day with Eureka.

The child within her was growing more every day, and a slight bulge was beginning to appear over her abdomen. It, in fact, was already big enough to run an ultrasound on.

Now, as Renton heads down the hall to check on Eureka, we resume our story. Novicius Aetas, the story of new life…

Chapter I

Fun In The Moon

Eureka was sitting on the examining table in Mischa's office, dressing herself after having a check-up. As luck would have it, Renton was just walking in the door while Eureka was fumbling with the clasps to her bra. He entered through the doorway and got an eyeful of her. Though he'd indeed seen her before, it caught him off guard to walk in on her topless. His face flushed red, his legs got wobbly, and he stepped back outside of the door.

"_Oh jeez,"_ Renton thought to himself, _"man I'm such an idiot! I should have remembered to knock!"_ Trapped in his own fevered thoughts, he did not notice as she walked up to him.

"Renton…" Eureka began meekly, but was cut short by a startled yell.

"Ah!" He half jumped out of his skin, being startled by her appearance from behind him.

"Are you okay? Your nose is bleeding…" Eureka said to him.

"Oh…sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" She asked, puzzled.

"I didn't mean to walk in on you there. I really should have knocked…" He told her, apologetically.

"Did I embarrass you?" She asked him.

"No! No, no, no, it was me that…never mind."

"Oh… Well, if it makes any difference, you didn't embarrass me any. You've seen me before, so I have nothing to be embarrassed of." Eureka told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

At her words, his face lit up bright red once more. They had indeed seen each other before, but had yet to speak of it in public. The mere mention of their union caused his face to shade like a rose. He was too deeply buried in embarrassment to notice Holland walking up to him.

"What'cha gotten yourself into this time, eh kiddo?" Holland asked with a smile.

"Oh, erm…nothing really." Renton stuttered. "I just came by to see Eureka…"

"Okay then. Well I just dropped by to remind you, we're taking the Moonlight into trajectory flight, in order to reach Ciudades del Cielo."

"How long until the switchover into trajectory?" Renton inquired.

"About…fourteen minutes. You and Eureka should probably go to your room and wait it out." Holland told him with a wink.

"Come on Renton, let's do that." Eureka told him, startling him once more.

"Yeah. Alright Holland, we'll be there if you need us." Renton said, before Eureka tugged his sleeve and pulled him along.

----- On The Bridge -----

"Come on Talho. It's time." Ken-Goh called over the speakers.

Talho walked in the door just as he had spoken. She calmly walked over to the pilot-seat and began the task of setting up for trajectory flight.

"Everyone, prepare yourself! We are about to leave the atmosphere for a short period of time! Fasten yourselves to something and get ready for some fun!" She yelled out into the speaker system.

Pressing various buttons and flipping a few switches, Talho gracefully guided the engines into the proper state of force.

"Alright people," She spoke into the speakers once more, "I hope you're fastened up. It's time to fly, higher than the sun!!"

With that, the shuttle tilted backwards and centered itself. After one final thrust, the Moonlight climbed up and out of the atmosphere. Into the air it sailed, then righted itself parallel to the Earth. The short journey to Ciudades del Cielo began…

----- In Eureka and Renton's Room -----

"Hey, Eureka, what are you thinking?" Renton asked his love.

"I was thinking… I'm very happy." She told him, then smiled.

"Me too." He said.

"What do you think it'll be like, us being married?" She asked him.

"It'll probably be tough, since we're so young…" Renton said with a concerned tone.

"I don't mind. If I'm with you, Renton, nothing is too tough to handle." Eureka told him with another gorgeous smile. Renton pushed his lips against hers, catching her slightly off guard. As they kissed, both blushed, and Eureka's wings began to glow with a pale green luminescence.

As they were kissing, Holland was walking down the hall to fetch them. He opened the door and startled them both.

"Jeez Holland, can't you knock?!" Renton yelled.

"Calm down midget, I came to show you two something. Come with me to the bridge." Holland told them.

As they trotted down the hall, they couldn't help but notice that the everyone was gone. No one was in their room, the mess hall was empty, and the store was closed. Even more strangely, all the doors in the ship were open.

When they finally reached the bridge, their questions were answered. Everyone was in the bridge, and for good reason. They were all looking at the celestial miracle created by Nirvash during the Second Summer of Love. It was breathtaking, to say the least.

The Moon had their names, Renton and Eureka, carved on it. As beautiful as this alone was, that was not what stole the words from their mouths. Encircling the Moon was a collection of every color imaginable, forming a stunningly gorgeous rainbow-like belt. It looked heavenly, and it seemed to pulsate every time they took a breath.

"Wow, Holland, this is amazing!" Eureka cried.

"Yeah, it's beautiful!" Renton agreed.

"I thought you two might want to see this." Holland said, "Anyways, get a good look at it. You two need some rest, so take a look and head on back to bed."

Although the idea of being treated like a little kid angered Renton, he knew Holland was right. So, taking Eureka's hand in his, he headed back to his room. The moment they walked in and laid down, both fell asleep.

Chapter II

Ciudades del Cielo

The City Of The Lunar Rainbow

The Moonlight sped forward into the night, leaving rainbows in its wake. The clear night sky was a sight indeed. Completely cloudless, stars everywhere, and a full moon with "Eureka and Renton" carved in its visage. The scenery was worthy of a Fresco.

Slowly, the craft cut the air, making its way towards a ruined city. Though the towers were charred beyond repair, and warped nearly beyond recognition, they cast a gorgeous shadow in the moonlight. The city was stunning in its own right, twisting the borrowed light of the pale moon into an array of stunning glows. The broken glass upon the street stole the light and scattered it, creating glimmers of untold beauty everywhere.

As the craft pulled towards the landing dock, two Voderac Priests strode carelessly onto the dock. The Moonlight continued its descent and began to open the wheel-dock. As the wheels touched ground with a screech, the priests slowly stepped out of the path of the enormous craft. Finally, the steel giant slowed to a complete stop upon the runway.

"Alright, Moondoggie," Talho yelled, "guide her in carefully now!"

"Aye Captain!" he replied.

Carefully, the young pilot applied thrust in just the right intervals. The craft slowly approached one of the hangars and entered. Finally it halted and the crew prepared to disembark.

-----In Eureka and Renton's Room-----

"Hey, Eureka, we're here…" Renton whispered as he gently shook Eureka awake. They had both slept for the last of the flight.

"That was fast…" Eureka said, yawning away the last of her dreams.

"Come on, let's go look!" Renton said with an excited smile. "It's still night outside, the view is beautiful!"

Slowly, the young couple made their way to the exit-ramp. They could only stand in silent awe as they beheld the sight of Ciudades del Cielo. The moon shone in between the two large towers, creating a symphony of colors. Even though the towers were undoubtedly scarred and burnt, the eerie shadow created by the moon's light shining on them was breathtaking.

It was like starring at the heavenly guardians that open the gate for those that reach the end. The way the light reflected off the ruined corners, splitting into fantastic droplets of color, and leaving trails of light in the air.

To top it all off, a sight even rarer than the moon crossed the two towers. A lunar rainbow shone bright in-between them.

As they stared at it, Renton began to notice a faint glow from the corner of his eye. He turned to ask Eureka if she saw it too, and gasped when he saw her beautiful wings glowing with a pale green effect.

"What's wrong Ren-" Eureka began. She stopped in mid-statement when she saw his eyes starring at her wings. Embarrassed, she turned away from him and blushed deeply. She thought he didn't like the way they were shining with the moon.

"Oh my God…" Renton glared, "Eureka, your wings are absolutely stunning!"

She turned back towards him and gazed deeply into his eyes. Nothing made her happier than to know he thought she was pretty.

"Renton!" she yelled, then wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Alright you two," Holland interrupted, "the priests are here to take us to our quarters. We're all going to need the rest, so come on! If you two need some 'alone' time, you can get it there." he finished with a wink.

Blushing, Eureka and Renton followed one of the priests as he lead them to a secluded building. It was like a small cottage, not in shape but in the way it felt cozy inside. The building itself looked like a purification house. It was shaped as a cube on the outside, with many runes decorating the exterior. They were lead inside and bid a 'goodnight' by the priest before he left.

They looked around for a little, examining the small house. There were plenty of supplies, ample space, and one nice sized bed. It could easily fit the both of them with room to spare. They both sat on the bed to test how soft it was. As they laid down they unwittingly fell asleep…


	3. Part III

Novicius Aetas

Pt III

By:

Oberon the Dark

Prologue

The Face of Heaven

It was an early sunrise this day, the day Renton had long anticipated. The morning stirs began to course through his body, lighting up his senses and gently waking his mind. His muscles slowly came to life, senses returning to his groggy mind.

Renton could sense Eureka, already up and calmly laying beside him. He turned to her, startling her slightly, and lightly stroked her face with butterfly fingers. She was so entrancing, so delicate, and ravishingly adorable. She was his love, and of this was he proud, willing to shout it out to the stars.

Her face was that of Heaven's earthly light, and he was honored to call her his. Soon, their love would be confirmed to God, to all men, and to the earth which they saved.

Soon together would they live, man and wife, human and angel, peace at last.

They lazily laid their heads upon the large pillow, hoping for a little more sleep before the big event.

Chapter I

The Mirror's Words

"Renton, Eureka, it is time." urged an unfamiliar voice.

The boy slowly opened his eyes, groggily bidding his dreams farewell. His mind was still mostly asleep, taking awhile to register his surroundings. The small cottage Eureka and he were sharing came dizzily into view, the blurriness fading from his eyes.

As he looked around the room, his eyes caught the image a man in the doorway. He was wearing a long, scarlet robe adorned with many elegant designs. His face was faded and worn with age, betraying a story of long years in religion to any that gazed upon his visage. His hair had long since faded to white, clear as the snow, and stood in a symbolic knot upon his head. Though the man was undoubtedly old, and though the robe hid his figure, Renton could tell by his stance that the man was strong.

"Sir," Renton nervously began, "who are you?"

"I am that whom shall make you two as one before the eyes of Voderac." the man uttered simply.

"Then… you are the priest that will wed us?" Renton asked.

"That I am, now get up. It is time you two were made ready." the man said with a wink.

"Yes, sir." Renton answered, quickly scrambling from the bed.

"Now then, young lady, if you would come with me." the man asked, motioning for Eureka to follow him.

"Yes, sir." Eureka answered, following the man out of the cottage.

Renton was confused as to what was going on. The priest, or whatever he was, did not look like a clergyman. But, who was he to judge?

He made haste to prepare for the ceremony. His tuxedo was already pressed and cleaned, though it was certainly of an older fashion. The coat-tails were formed in a curving fashion, undoubtedly meant for a Voderac ritual many years ago. The vest was flawlessly white with gold trimming around its outside. The coat had a deep, rich black with thin golden laces woven into a vine pattern. The were black as well, being made of fine silk like the rest of the ensemble, and had the same vine pattern of gold woven in.

In all truth, he looked fairly funny in the ancient outfit, but it was comfortable. Besides that, how was it his job to complain? He had nothing else to use, and had the Voderac people to thank for their generous donations.

"Well, Renton, time to do this!" he whispered to himself, pulling on the coat.

After making sure all was in order he walked out the door, ready to see Eureka at the alter…

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In The Bride's Room

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Eureka was lead to a small, ornately decorated chamber where the walls were adorned with mirrors. The mirrors all had a small relief of a young girl etched into the background. The relief showed the girl standing at an alter, clothed in an extravagant gown, her face hidden behind a veil.

"Where are we?" she asked the priest.

"The chamber of beauty…" the old priest muttered, barely audible.

"This place is amazing!" Eureka proclaimed.

"It should be," the priest told her, "we've been saving it for the first corallian bride."

Eureka's face lit up with a blush when the man mentioned her marriage. The scarlet emotion crept across her face, coloring her cheeks like rose petals.

"No need to be so embarrassed," the priest told her, "you are very special. You will be the bridge between humanity and the scub. Now, we will have peace…"

He lead her up to the first of three mirrors and stood her in front of it. Eureka stared intently into the beautiful, glossy surface of the mirror, her thoughts becoming lost to its reflection. All the events of the past year replayed in her mind. From when she met Renton to when they went to Earth, The Promised Land.

Two things came to her mind though. In her mind's eye she saw herself, standing beside Renton at the alter. They were both smiling, both full of love, but there was something else as well.

The priest, she saw the priest. He was bringing them a fruit, something like a pear. But, it wasn't the color of a pear. The fruit had a deep scarlet tent to its base, the top being a golden hue. It looked ravishingly delicious.

As she stared into the mirror, the priest dryly snapped his fingers in the air. The sound reverberated throughout the room, though Eureka was completely oblivious to the sound. Her mind was lost to the mirror, her thoughts drifting to the wedding yet to take place.

After the priest snapped, two young priestesses walked into the room with the bottom part of a dress in their arms. They deftly stripped Eureka of her clothing and slipped the dress around her waist. It fit perfectly, as though it were measured to her.

The priestesses left as soon as they'd secured the dress, leaving Eureka to stare to the mirror.

Finally, Eureka saw the fruit up close. It was as mysterious up close as far away, but she make out its texture up close. It was definitely a pear, of a sort.

As she gazed blankly at its surface, the fruit was brought to her mouth so she could bite into it. Unbeknownst to her, Renton and she had moved closer together, their faces now only separated by the fruit. As they sank their teeth into it hollow words rang in her head.

"_For the Earth, and for its children, I eat these sins."_ is what she heard herself saying.

"You have eaten the fruit of peace." before Eureka knew what had happened, she heard the priest's voice beside her.

"For the Earth, and for its children, I eat these sins." Eureka unknowingly repeated.

"Good, then you may go to the next mirror." the priest said, taking Eureka's arm and leading her to another mirror.

When she looked upon this one, she saw herself and Renton again. This time, however, they were kneeling by each other. The priest was standing above them, a chalice in his hands, as a priestess poured a dark colored wine. The priest's lips moved as he said something to them. After he'd spoken, Renton and she both stood up to look him in the eye.

Whilst Eureka watched the mirror, two more Priestesses walked into the room. This time they held the top part of a dress, deftly slipping over Eureka's bare torso. It was as snug a fit as the last piece, feeling as though it were measured to her exactly. After they tightened the last laces, making sure it was perfect, the priestesses left the room.

Eureka continued to watch the scene unfolding before her eyes, continued to stare into the endless depths of the mirror. The priest presented the chalice to Renton and her, and they took it in combined hands. Each held one of the chalice's handles, drinking deeply of its content, and more hollow words flowed into Eureka's mind.

"_For the Earth, and for its children, I drink these tears."_

"You have consumed the tears of war." the priest said, breaking Eureka from her dream once more.

"For the Earth, and for its children, I drink these tears." Eureka repeated, the hollow words melting into her mind.

"Good, then you may go to the last mirror." the priest said dryly, taking Eureka's arm and leading her to one last mirror.

This one, the most elegant of them all, was very different. It was easily twice her height, its glass a violet hue, and many turquoise gems embedded in its rim. As she stared into this one, an image once more filled her mind.

Renton and she stood at the alter, staring deeply into each other's eyes. Eureka had a veil over her head this time, obscuring all but the outline of her face. Renton gently lifted his hands to the edge of the veil and lifted it until it was over her head. Taking her into his arms, he brought his face gradually closer to hers.

As she watched, one priestess came into the room. This one was older, though not much, and held a veil in her arms. Deftly the woman slipped it over Eureka's head, though the girl did not notice in the slightest. She only gazed deeper into the mirror.

As Eureka's lips touched Renton's hollow words flowed once more to her mind.

"_For the Earth, For its children, and for my Love, I seal this pledge. My heart, my mind, and my devotion do I swear, till my heart ceases its beats."_

"You have sealed the pledge of love…" the priest said.

"For the Earth, For its children, and for my Love, I seal this pledge. My heart, my mind, and my devotion do I swear, till my heart ceases its beats." Eureka repeated, her mind returning to her.

"Then it is time," the priest said, "you are now ready."

He took her arm and lead her out of the room, into the bright light of her wedding day.

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At The Alter

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All was ready, everyone was there, and the ceremony was about to begin. Holland and Talho were both wearing a cloak given to them by Madame Tiptori. They looked rather silly, but the woman had insisted that they wear them for sentimental purposes. Not wanting to be rude, they accepted it as an honor.

Stoner was sitting in a chair about ten yards from the area, getting ready to snap some memorable photos. He had a full roll of film in the camera two spare sitting beside him in a case. This was going to be big and God forbid if he were to miss it.

Jobs and Woz were setting up a turntable for music. The ceremony may be in the typical Voderac fashion, but they were determined to make the reception a true, ref-boarder's dream. Techno would be blared through the speakers, and the waves were supposed to pick up shortly after the party started.

Matthieu and Hilda were also dressed in robes, the typical fashion of Voderac clergy, and stood along the path to the alter. They looked absolutely silly in all the bright colors and flares of the clothing, but they swore to themselves to bear it.

Mischa and Dr. Bear were dressed in very dark robes. Though there weren't as many bright colors on their outfits, they looked silly simply because of the contrast.

Moondoggie and Gidjet were wearing the simple attire of new arrivals into the Voderac religion. Their robes were of simple design and colored deep scarlet. They were lined up with the others along the path to the alter.

Renton stood at the alter, nervously awaiting his magnificent bride-to-be.

Chapter II

…I Do

Eureka was slowly escorted down the aisle, walking to a tune played out by Tiptori. The priest guided her to Renton and then took his position in front of the crowd. As it turned out, the Gekko's crew were not the only guests. The priest reached his hand into his robe and fished around before drawing out a large tome. He opened it up and prepared to read…

"This day is holy, this day is great, and promises us a grand future! We are gathered to witness a historical, nay, cosmological event today! Here, upon the holy grounds of Ciudades del Cielo, we will witness the union of not only two lovers, but two beings!" he paused for a moment, dragging in a deep breath, "Today, we shall witness the union of humans and corallians!"

The crowd began to applaud, all the Voderac followers standing and yelling in praise.

The priest raised his hand into the air to silence the crowd, then began to speak once more, "Now, turn ye two and face each other."

Eureka and Renton did as he said.

"Do ye swear thy allegiance, thy mind, and thy love to each other?"

"I do…" Renton said, gazing upon Eureka's beauty.

"I do…" Eureka replied, looking at the one she chose as her partner, a smile on her face.

The priest cleared his throat and read again, "Then, by the power vested in me from Voderac, from the Father, and in the presence of this Holy City, I now pronounce you man and wife! May your days be long upon the Earth, may you have many days of happiness, and may you be a shining light to guide us all into the truth of love!" he turned to look at Renton, winked, then uttered one final phrase, "You may kiss the bride."

Renton gingerly lifted the veil over Eureka's head, revealing her gorgeous visage. He placed his hand behind her back, bringing her face closer to him, and firmly planted his lips on hers.

"You have been through much," the priest said, beginning his final statement, "and you have borne much pain and sorrow… but now, you are whole! Your love has lasted the sins of Earth, your love has lasted the tears of war, and now, before the eyes of all, your pledge is sealed!!"

Renton broke the kiss at the priest's last words. He looked deeply into Eureka's amethyst eyes and told her what he'd felt since he saw her the first time.

"Eureka, I love you."

"Renton," she said, looking into his sky-blue eyes, "I love you too."

They met in another kiss, and the crowd leapt to their feet in thunderous applause. The entire city shook at the ovation of the onlookers, the streets emptied as all ran to see the couple upon the alter. The skies themselves seemed to answer to the love of the two, its clouds parting a beam upon them. As all eyes fell upon the two young lovers, now wed, the priest stepped down from the alter and bowed before Tiptori.

She walked up and lifted her hands to the sky, quieting the crowd.

"Now that you are one, you must go and live together. Your days of union begin today, but they will not be eternal. All things, good and bad, will end, so enjoy them while they are there."

When Tiptori stepped down she motioned for Renton and Eureka to follow her. They went with her, the area emptied, and all was quiet in the city…


	4. Part IV

Novicius Aetas

Pt IV

By:

Oberon the Dark

Prologue

To The Square

Tiptori lead Eureka and Renton away from the field and the ceremony, seemingly away from the city. After they were about forty yards or so from the crowd she turned and they began to head back to the city.

The walk was long, and for Eureka a little hard. She had to walk all that way in her wedding dress, and that was a bit of a pain. But, she was never one to complain. Eureka simply followed along.

Renton was beginning to sweat from the walk, since his tux was so thick. It held him snuggly, as though it were a jacket. He grinned and walked, following Tiptori into the city.

She led them through many twisting streets, until they finally reached the center. There, in the middle of the town-square, stood a stage. It was like one used at graduations, or other important announcements, but there was no podium on it.

"Up there." Tiptori told them, pointing to the stage, "Go up on that walk, and present the ring."

Renton knew at that moment what she'd dragged them all the way there for. He hadn't been directed to give Eureka the ring during the ceremony, and was worried they'd forgotten about it. Now though, he knew that they hadn't.

"What ring are you talking about?" Eureka asked in her sweet, confused tone of voice.

"The boy knows…" Tiptori replied with a wink.

Eureka turned to look at Renton, a bemused expression upon her face. He did not know what to say, how to explain…

"Alright you two," Tiptori said, beginning to be annoyed, "get on up there!"

Renton took Eureka's hand and walked up on the stage with her. When they looked around the area people began to gather. This was going to be interesting…

Chapter I

Ring of Seraphs

Renton was stunned with embarrassment, even though he'd promised himself not to be nervous or shy. All the thousands, nay hundreds of thousands, of people in the city had their eyes focused on him. He and his new bride, they were watching both intently. All he could do was stand there, his body refused to do anything else.

His mouth went dry, willfully disobeying the orders of his brain to talk. His knees became unsteady, nervousness creeping through every nerve and muscle. His stomach wrenched with cramps, stress stalling its activity. He wanted to talk, to say something that would get them to leave. All those eyes though, all those eyes on him, they kept him still as a statue. Every muscle in his body, every joint and bone, felt as though it were all one large, grotesque stone figure.

Just as he thought he could take no more, just when Renton felt he would surely give under the stress, he heard her. His wife, his love, his angel, he heard her speak his name…

"Renton is something wrong?" she asked, her dulcet voice ringing in his ears.

At the sound of her angelic voice his muscles relaxed, the stress and embarrassment leaving their threads. His mouth unlocked, the dryness left, and his voice returned to his taciturn throat.

"I'm fine Eureka, thanks." he replied to her inquisition. Yet, even though he told her he was fine, he could feel her concerned eyes on him.

"Well, boy, say something to the people." Tiptori said. Having walked upon the stage, she stood in front of Renton but, in his state of shock, he did not notice her. He jumped slightly at her sudden appearance.

"I… uh, don't know why I'm up here Miss Tiptori…" he whispered.

"You're up here to give your wife the wedding ring." she told him calmly, yet with an undertone of annoyance in her voice.

"Ah… uh… Oh!" Renton remembered about the ring, the elaborately made silver band of his father's.

Quickly fishing it from his pocket, he turned to Eureka and kneeled before her. She looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. Out of the corner of her eye, something caught Eureka's attention. Tiptori was making a motion, something that Eureka did not understand at first. She was putting her hand out, at an angle, toward the ground, as though she were reaching for something.

At last, Eureka got the hint and put her hand out toward Renton. All his nerves became immediately oversensitive, every little noise bringing alarm to his mind. This was his special day though, the most memorable day of his life, and Renton would never forgive himself if he chickened out.

Slowly he brought the ring up to Eureka's finger, every moment seeming as years to his overwhelmed senses. He took hold of her hand and gently slipped the silver, jewel laden band onto her finger. It was a perfect fit, snug and yet none too tight, which surprised Renton.

When he stood again and looked at Eureka, Renton and the crowd around him shared a gasp…

The ring on her finger began to glow bright as the sun, as though she were wearing a small piece of the star upon her finger. It grew brighter, taking sight and everything with it in its swelling cloud of celestial beauty. Everyone averted their eyes as the ring grew brighter, turning their faces to shield their eyes from the overwhelming glow of Eureka's ring.

Renton however, he gazed through the brightness. He did not see it, for his attention was stolen by Eureka's wings. They were growing in size, seemingly becoming more elaborate and brittle. They shrouded her being in a glorious emerald radiance, turning her body into an even more angelic figure.

Slowly, the light began to fade from her ring. It lost the light little by little, the radiance that seemed as though it were a small star fading from its jewels. Gradually, she came into the view of the onlookers, gasps and bewildered stares overtaking the people's quiet watch. The girl had become more beautiful, simply from a ring. Her body had become different from a simple gift.

When all sight fell on her, it was evident that she'd changed. Eureka's wings were once only three feet long at their tips, but now stood an easy ten feet in the air. They now looked as dragonfly wings, being elegant and brittle in appearance. Their color had turned from a bright green to a calming cerulean color, the barely notice glow replaced with a bright luminescence. Eureka's image was now completely heavenly; the girl now looked as though she were a fallen angel…

Chapter II

"…Am I a Monster?!"

All eyes were on Eureka, all eyes rested on her magnificent wings, and she felt as though they did not like her. They stared at her with the vacant, expressionless look of one that has seen their friends slain before their eyes. It reminded her of the stares she would see on her victims, the ones she killed as a member of the SOF. That look of horror, the want for mercy, she could not take it.

Eureka brought her hands to her head, as though trying to shield her ears from a loud sound, and collapsed onto the ground. Her tears began to flow, they poured from her eyes with irrepressible sorrow.

"_Renton accepted me… even though I looked like a monster… But, these people, they won't, I'm a nightmare to them!"_ Eureka screamed to herself, deep in her mind.

Then, she felt something warm on her shoulder, something caring and worried. She felt a hand grasp her shoulder with a tender affectionate grip. She knew who it was, but still didn't wrap her mind around it immediately.

"Eureka," Renton whispered into her ear, "why are you crying?"

"Because, I look like a monster with these wings!" she said through sobs, "Just look at how they stare at me! I'm a freak…"

She buried her face into her hands again, crying even harder. What happened next surprised her. Renton, loving her with every fiber of his soul and being, wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her tight, hoping to show that she was accepted.

"It doesn't matter," he whispered gently, "what others think. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on, and I love you."

Her crying subsided a little, but she still felt their eyes on her.

"Just so you know," Renton began again, "I think your wings are gorgeous!"

She couldn't help it, simply couldn't help it. No matter how sad, or lonely, depressed she felt, his little complements always made her happy. He was always there to cheer her up, always there to tell a joke or say something sweet, and she loved him so for it.

"Renton," she said, her crying gone, "why are they so quiet?"

They both looked around, facing into the silent crowd. Things were so quiet, one could hear for miles around; even the wind did not blow to disrupt this tranquility.

Suddenly, a little kid could be heard in the crowd.

"Mommy," he squealed, "she's so pretty!"

With this comment the crowd erupted in cheers. Eureka was completely mistaken, her thoughts completely off. They were not staring at her as though she were a monster, but were dumbfounded by her splendor. They were thunderstruck with admiration by her delicate wings, not disgusted by them as she thought.

"See, Eureka?" Renton asked, "Your wings are beautiful, just like you."

She turned to Renton, tears welling in her eyes, and embraced him. He pulled back slightly and put looked into her eyes. Embarrassed, Eureka turned away, but he would not have that. With a finger, Renton lifted her face back to eyelevel and pressed his lips tightly onto hers.

They kissed, long and passionately, in front of the entire assembly. There was no shyness, no meekness, and no embarrassment from this. For all Renton cared, everyone was gone. In his mind, the only thing he was thinking of was his new wife. She was all that concerned him for this moment, and that was just fine to him.

Eventually, they broke the kiss. Not for the need for the sake of modesty, but for lack of oxygen.

"Alright you two, it's time you were getting home." Tiptori told them. She turned from them to the mass of people around them and waved her hands in the air. At this signal, they dispersed, leaving the two newlyweds to themselves.

They were taken back to the small cottage and told to rest, to prepare for the events to come.

The wedding was done, but the hardest events were yet to come. They would need the sleep, need it very much…


End file.
